Thea Queen: Speedy

[way2interested]

That last scene between Thea and Roy, as lovely as it was, brought up some questions for me, and I'd really like to hear your thoughts on this. It has been touched upon here and there on these boards, but, what exactly is Thea's motivation for being a vigilante? I feel like the show has never expanded on this, and at this point I don't know if it's done on purpose or it's the show being its usual self.

We knew that Roy started stalking the Hood because he had inspired him by saving his life. Roy wanted to do good, he saved people during the Undertaking, felt like he was the only one to care about the people in the Glades and did what he could to help, even before he managed to become up being part of Team Arrow. He had a clear motivation, and I don't think that's there for Thea? She started training because she wanted to be strong/not be scared anymore, then ended up on the Team pretty much because she had the skills and Oliver had left (first as Al-Sahim and then as himself).

So that last speech about her wanting Roy to have a normal life really threw me, and mostly for how bleak it was. She was so resigned, like that is the only life (or conclusion of a life, since she is convinced she is about to die) possible for her, and yeah, maybe there's no way out right now- given she is bound to these Lazarus Pit effects - but how did she get to this point? It's really similar to Oliver's last season's issue, maybe with another angle. The difference is that the show has bothered showing why Oliver would resign himself to dying for the mission, and it hasn't with Thea, so in the end the only take away for me is how depressing this whole thing is.

Thoughts?

They really haven't given Thea clear motivations for her new vigilante life, so I see what you mean. I can't think of any canonical reference that may help, but I do have some of my own thoughts.

I just thought about that time when she went to PT to find the team and ask Felicity of she could help since they were short-handed and being a vigilante is in her blood. To me, she's not necessarily doing this out of revenge or to protect anything or to right anyone's wrongs, but to do something good despite the bad hand she's been dealt from choices she made. Mostly, this entire lifestyle now is because she chose to get in that limo with Malcolm at the end of s2, and I think she recognizes that that was her decision and that she has to live/die with those consequences. Not that killing Sara was her fault, but that she allowed herself to get close to Malcolm that this was a thing that happened.

Kind of like Oliver, in which one bad decision effectively ruined his whole life, Thea has to move forward or just give up. Recognizing that she has skills that can make herself useful and do things other than kill Sara is kind of a way to make sure that her life and her choices weren't all in vain. It's also why I think she's so determined to keep going out in the field (along with the bloodlust, but that's a different story), because she wants to be helpful in a way that she knows she can. Just like in 321 and 323, she recognizes a time where she can use these skills she got from awful circumstances for noble purposes. She's kind of resigned herself that her life has been essentially twisted and ruined by the day she went off with Malcolm, but she's choosing to make some best of it by helping her brother.

Again, just my kind of head canon, probably not right, since there's no real support in the show, but it keeps me going with Thea. And you're right, it is depressing from Thea's side of things.

[tarotx]

My Head cannon is a few things:

 

Thea came back from being brain dead. She probably doesn't have the motivation to be the young women she was before that happened. Maybe she is meant to do something bigger than just living kind of thinking. She knows she has these skills that could be useful. I think Roy might have saw some need in her so that's why he gave her the suit.

 

And if Thea finally had deep thoughts, she is Moira&Malcolm's daughter. So wanting to help undo the bad Karma they brought to Star(ing) city would be believable.

 

Thea has had a lot of loss in her life. She also has a brother who she really can't get inside his head. When she made her decision Oliver was probably still playing Al sah him and then he left with Felicity. I think Playing vigilante helped her feel close to Oliver.

 

Plus maybe she was feeling the rise of the boodlust from the beginning but she didn't understand it. Doing violence of any kind may have helped in the beginning. 

Edited February 4, 2016 by tarotx

[bijoux]

way2interested and tarotx, I like both of your headcanons. They make sense. I never could make heads or tails about Thea's vigilante motivation, especially since everyone but her has been given one explicitly.

 

As for her being resigned at the end, I connected that more with her LP issues. It's slowly killing her unless she kills again. So the future is looking rather bleak and short for her at the moment.

[kismet]

The talk of Thea & Tommy in the relationship thread... actually got me thinking that I would have liked Thea better from the getgo if she had not been in school. I wish they had skipped over the late teen angst. She still could have had her run in with the law & her tension with her mother. But somehow that would have been better for me without the school uniform.

 

I've liked her much better now that she is an adult. Now if they could just give her a plot line that's sole purpose is not to prop MM.

[NumberCruncher]

Agreed. I found Thea insufferable in S1. Her bratty, entitled teenage antics really grated on me in a big way. It took 2 full seasons and some major growing up before I warmed to the character.

[Starfish35]

Now if they could just give her a plot line that's sole purpose is not to prop MM.

Amen to that.

Edited March 23, 2016 by Starfish35

[tv echo]

It's funny to think back to S1 now... but I remember that when I was watching the pilot episode, I had trouble distinguishing between Thea and Laurel.  They both had long wavy brunette hair, big eyes in roundish faces, and thin bodies.  One was hostile and the other was bratty. And I disliked them both.  I remember thinking that no wonder Oliver stayed away so long.  Now, of course, I have no problem telling the two women apart.

Edited March 23, 2016 by tv echo

[Morrigan2575]

It's funny to think back to S1 now... but I remember that when I was watching the pilot episode, I had trouble distinguishing between Thea and Laurel.  They both had long wavy brunette hair, big eyes in roundish faces, and thin bodies.  One was hostile and the other was bratty. And I disliked them both.  I remember thinking that no wonder Oliver stayed away so long.  Now, of course, I have no problem telling the two women apart.

No joke, look at the S1 poster they could have been the same actress for all i knew.

 

Edited March 24, 2016 by Morrigan2575

[BkWurm1]

I had a soft spot for Willa left over from her time on the O.C. where she played a character that made Thea Queen look like an angel and by the end of her time there, had made me love Caitlyn so Thea's bratty ways didn't phase me, I knew WH could pull off depth and nuance.  Plus by episode two I felt like we understood the reason for her behavior and I was all sympathy from there out. 

[Genki]

^I agree I only watched the OC after the MB years, and Caitlyn and Julie Cooper were my favourites.

 

I also really liked Willa as crazy teen model Agnes on Gossip Girl, I always thought they should have tried to spin her off rather than the failed backdoor 80's pilot about Lily's youth.

 

Thea was a bit of a thankless role in season 1, but Willa brought chemistry with all her scene partners and she brought sympathy for Thea's point of view and I've enjoyed what she brings to the show.

 

I hope she gets a stronger love interest and I'm also hoping she gets to get rid of Malcolm (not sure I want his death to haunt her) and I would like to see more of how the weird crush Anarky has on Speedy plays out....non-rmantically

[kismet]

I have enjoyed WH's acting in both OC & Arrow. However, I still found the way they wrote TQ to be exasperating and obnoxious until s3, with the few rare exceptions like when she interacted with Walter. Her scenes with Moira were hit or miss depending on the writing, the acting was great but the overall arc was bad. And I never liked her running Verdent, it just never made any sense, it just seemed like a way to use the Verdent set.

 

WH saved her scenes by imbuing them with warmth and appeal, however, I still hoped that she rarely had any scenes. I am glad they have finally found an effective way to write her. I wouldn't mind her having a love life, but they definitely need to be better on casting. Tebow-light was really a disappointment. And lets never mention DJ douchebag...

[arjumand]

35 minutes ago, TrueMyth said:

I think Thea's had a staycation, since the last we saw of her was curled up at Laurel's old place taking a rest after lighting enough candles to make the League of Assassins happy.  But we should probably take any more of this to Thea's thread.

OMG, those candles! And all the SECRETS and LIES stuff! I really hate to say this, but she's starting to remind me of the way Lana Lang was portrayed on Smallville. It started with her complaining about secrets, and now the candles clinched it.

To be fair, Laurel also had all the candles whenever we saw her and Oliver in her apartment. It kinda breaks the willing suspension of disbelief, for me. Every time I see a scene like that, I used to think, WTF Laurel? Do you have an intern? Or some kind of indentured servant? Maybe she left him/her to Thea in her will.

[TrueMyth]

See, I like candles and have about 15 in my closet... but they are EXPENSIVE, even to make, so I only ever burn up to five at a time, and that is when the power goes out.  Cheesy romantic movies often have the grand fire hazard displays of candles, so I can understand Laurel thinking that's the way to set the stage and get Ollie in the mood, but it makes less sense when a character is by themselves.  Showing Thea with Netflix flickering in the background would make a lot more sense.

I do wonder if Thea is somehow going to stay in Laurel's apartment.  I don't think SHE was ever attacked there, so it could work, and I like the idea better than her moving in with Oliver again.

[bijoux]

I'm reasonably sure Sara attacked her in the apartment and put Thea in the hospital.

[tarotx]

Sara did attack her in the apartment.

[TrueMyth]

Yep, was just watching that video clip.  I got confused with the earlier body double attack in the alley.

Okay, well.  I bought the excuse of Thea not wanting to live in the loft since she was KILLED there, but if she really wants to start fresh and get away from the crime-fighting, I hope they break down Laurel's set and either don't show us Thea's place or redress it well as a new place.

Man, how many times has Laurel's place been broken into?  Her home insurance must have been horribly expensive.

[misstwpherecool]

Willa Holland has done the character proud. But the current season has me worried for the actress. She at times looks too skinny if not ill. Almost zero body fat. Seems like she using diet for appearance. She doesn't appear to have the muscle size or tone of someone playing a hero. Her acting is fine, she nails the character. Hope her health is just as fine.

[TrueMyth]

She's always been pretty slight.  I actually see more muscle definition on her now than in season 1 (I think it comes from doing more training once she got to be Speedy).

While I do think Willa does a great job with her, and I love her scenes with Oliver, I really hate where they've gone with her character.  Invasion! saw her basically brainwashed again, and she was okay with it.  I mean, deciding to stay in the dream world was a sort of agency, but I think she'd be violently opposed to being controlled in anyway after what Malcolm did to her.  And after what Alex did to her at the end of season 4.

The other tentpole of her character has been her distaste at being lied to... and that keeled right over when the plot required it during the BMD of season 4.  It really is a shame.

[statsgirl]

I guess she only objects to it when her family lies to her and tries to control her.  Moira, Oliver, Roy....  She rejected Malcolm after she found out he brainwashed her to kill Sara but she practically thanked Slade when he told her Malcolm was her bio-dad.

The worst thing they've done to Thea, other than having most of her storylines be about her father's story rather than hers own including her foster dad Quentin this season, is to have her say that Oliver did the right thing in lying to Felicity after she was so angry that she refused to sign the trust papers in s2 and later walked out on Royu because he didn't tell her he was working with the Arrow.  I doubt they'll ever address that on the show, but they should.

I can fanwank that she wanted to stay in the dream world because she so much wanted to be a success in her parents' eyes but that cuts out all the rebellious "You're not the boss of me"Thea of 4 seasons.  And staying would mean she would lose her only living relation (other than Malcolm), Oliver.

[bettername2come]

I think Thea staying makes a certain amount of sense given that her father died when she was 12 and she was pretty screwed up for her teen years. Add into that that her mother died to save her while they were fighting and I can see her initially wanting to stay. (Oliver leaving her in the matrix I can only fanwank because I believe he knew he was busting her out from the other side once he got there)

[manbearpig]

I've let the latest episodes pile up a little, but I watched last week's episode earlier today and I have to say that Thea breezing into city hall, insulting Susan and Rene and then basically saying that everything had went to shit without her was so much fun. It's the most I have liked anyone on Arrow this season. It was just a fun little interaction where she bounced off everyone around her (Oliver, Quentin, Rene) so beautifully. I'm just noticing how much I've missed her this season.

[Tazmania]

Dear Thea Queen, 

sorry to see you go, I hope you run off to wherever Roy is and live a happy, healthy and ordinary life, you both deserve it, stay in touch with Felicity and invite her over for a weekend when you guys get settled coz both of you girls need a friend or two. 

Be happy and stay away from your all your biological family members,

regards, 

a well wisher 

[tv echo]

16Personalities included Thea Queen (Arrow) as one of its examples of an ISFP Personality ("Adventurer")...
 
https://www.16personalities.com/isfp-personality

[teenj12]

Anyone else think this might be Thea's last season as a regular? The writing hasn't done Thea justice in almost two years, and Willa Holland doesn't seem into it anymore what with the contract negotiations she's requested over S5 & S6. I honestly won't be surprised if she makes an exit with Roy after his return stint is up . She always seemed at her happiest with him, so it would be a fitting wrap up to the character as well - finding happiness after the miserable decade she's endured. I love Thea's character (and she was the best part of Season 4 for me), but at this point I'd rather her go off to a happy ending than continue to stay kept in the background and on the fringes of the plot.

Edited February 28, 2018 by teenj12

[Morrigan2575]

Yeah, most people have been thinking that, especially after the coma and Willa doesn't seem happy at cons

[tv echo]

2012 casting announcement for Thea Queen...

'Arrow' & Nick Stoller Comedy Add To Casts
Nellie Andreeva   Feb. 15, 2012
https://deadline.com/2012/02/arrow-nick-stoller-comedy-add-to-casts-231747/

EXCLUSIVE: On the heels of casting Gossip Girl, Melrose Place and Supernatural alumna Katie Cassidy as the female lead in the CW’s pilot Arrow, another familiar CW face is joining the project. Willa Holland (Gossip Girl) has been cast in the modern retelling of the story of DC Comics character Green Arrow which stars Stephen Amell as the vigilante superhero who fights crime using archery, martial arts and technology under his secret identity as Oliver Queen, a wealthy playboy and billionaire industrialist-turned-outspoken politician in Star City. Holland will play Thea Queen, Oliver’s celebutante younger sister who’s testing the boundaries of acceptable behavior. The actress, repped by Gersh and Meyer Management, also co-starred on Fox’s The O.C.

[tv echo]

About WH's audition...

-- David Rapaport: “Melissa Benoist read for Thea... We read a bunch of people for Thea and it kept coming back to Willa because, with all these characters on Arrow, there was a duality about who they were on the surface and the darkness behind that. Even being so young, Willa’s lived a bit and that’s what makes her so interesting. ... I had a harder time convincing her to consider the Gossip Girl spin-off, which she ultimately passed on, then I did getting her in for Arrow. I think at that point, enough time had passed [after she co-starred on The O.C.] and it was an exciting, different role with the opportunity to potentially become a comic book hero in the end. I think everyone saw how different and dark and gritty this project was going to be.”
https://www.buzzfeed.com/jarettwieselman/the-man-who-helped-build-the-cw